A useful model of spiritual development in the public educative care of children must: specify the meaning and nature of spirituality; clarify its relationship to an underlying ontology; identify in what sense spirituality is developmental; be consistent with a justifiable paradigm of human development; explain the role and status of such spiritual development with a secular system of educative care; and specify practical implications flowing from these matters. Using narrative criticism within an evangelical framework, the biblical descriptions of spirituality and childhood were critically examined as a basis for such a model. Biblical spirituality was developmental and was identified with encounters, usually naturally mediated, between human spirits and God's Spirit, and spirits which alienate from God's Spirit. All children, without qualification of belief, community, rite or age, were identified as spirits who share a special relationship with God's Spirit both ontologically and experientially. Biblical childhood was not defined chronologically but functionally by inability to take responsibility for one's own spiritual life because of openness to God's and other spirits. Principles of 'magician systems' in Dynamic Systems Theory parallel phenomena of human development and those commonly designated as spiritual. Consequently, a dynamic model of spiritual development is proposed which is consonant with biblical teaching and grounded in an established scientific paradigm. This indicates that spirituality is an inescapable aspect of any educative care setting or system and need not be introduced as though children lack it. Spiritually salient aspects of educative care will lead children to spiritual encounters which are derivative of a positive life affirming principle or fundamentally destructive and alienating. These aspects encompass the spiritual ontology of the setting, the children, the personnel, the physical environment, the nature and quality of relationships, the curriculum, religious activities, the nurture provided, and the wider context, all of which are of spiritual moment.

The diploma thesis follows up on the author's bachelor's thesis, in which was proposed the sixth educational area for the Framework Educational Program for Preschool Education entitled The Child and His Spirituality. At present, the concept of children's spirituality is unaccepted and therefore neglected in academic areas in preschool education. However, for several decades, many authors have spoken of children's spirituality as a scientifically substantiated thesis. Therefore, the work deals with concepts of how to grasp children's spiritual education and how it could be practiced in the Czech secular kindergarten. It is shown that the Czech legislation represented by the Education Act is on the side of this education and does not go against it. The essence of spiritual children's capacity and how spirituality is realized and perceived in human life are discussed. One of the essential points of the work also lies in explaining that it is necessary to distinguish religion from spirituality. This distinction is crucial when looking for ways to talk about spirituality. In order to be able to apply spiritual education to current school practice, a philosophical framework is proposed for how spiritual education can be included in the school curriculum for preschool education. Furthermore, the reasons...